The Delights of Chiasmus and Chiastic Rhetoric

Introducing Chiasmus

What follows below is a (slightly modified) copy of the Introduction contained in my first volume of chiastic quotes ebook, titled: Cry Chiasmus ... and let loose the blogs of words! that you can acquire - free! - at my brother site, Roger's Reference.

So, yeah, I cheated a bit to 'produce' this page. But ... no point in reinventing the wheel.

Anyway....

Like myself, you've seen it often: the situation in language where two or more words are used in different senses within two phrases which are, in turn, within the same sentence.

Moreover, the positioning of the words must be in reverse order, when comparing both phrases.

A very easy and well-known example is from Cicero, an ancient Roman senator. He is the first recorded to say: "I eat to live, not live to eat."   For many years, when I first said that to somebody long ago, I thought that I had been the progenitor of that particular bon mot. Such is the arrogance of youth!   Only much later, did I find out that Cicero had beaten me by 2000 years or more.

I could modify that quote of Cicero's very easily by saying this: "I drink to live, not live to drink!" but that's just a common, slavish copy. Yet, at another level, the statement means something very different to Cicero's dictum.   Though, the best example of that construction I've ever seen is this: I just die to live, not live just to die! (That came from my youngest daugther. I wish I'd thought of it.)

Chiasmus has a long history, appearing in many languages and going back well over 2000 years, perhaps much longer.   So, there is a lot to learn, and a lot from whom to learn.   And, one of the first and best places to start is at Dr. Mardy Grothe's website.

Briefly though, you'll find there are a number of types of chiasmus, with implied chiasmus and double-chiasmus being just two. From my own experience over the last twenty years, it's clear to me that just about any topic can be treated chiastically--it's simply a matter of finding the right mix of words.

Fortunately, I've inadvertently helped myself to find those mixes because I've realized my fascination and foibles with homophones and homonyms, over the previous 20 years, fit quite nicely with the whole concept of chiasmus.

In truth, homophones and homonyms are the backbone of good - even great - chiasmus.

You can download all three volumes for free, anytime, at that site. Go for 'em.

Regards,

Roger J Burke

Mixed Mentations

Some Passing Thoughts:
Good writers get the right words to get the words right. ----------- Better writers paint with words to write with colour. ------------ Best writers write with colour by mixing their own paints. ------------ For some, writing isn't everything - it's the only thing! (With apology to the late great Vince Lombardi.) ------------ A writer's lament: I'll be damned if my writing is just writing that's damned! ------------ A good book is like a good friend: treat both well and be well treated by both. ------------ Are all actors merely directors? Are all directors merely actors? ------------ When does the abuse of use become the use of abuse? ------------ In my opinion, any novel should be novel. ------------ Which is more important: answer the question ... or question the answer? ------------ In wine there is truth; and in truth, there is often a whine. ------------ In the cosmos, does chaos rule because there are no rules for chaos? ------------ A book should challenge your thinking as much as your thinking should challenge the book. ------------ Actor's response when refusing the part: "Okay, I won't be seen dead in a dead scene, okay!" ------------ Publisher to dumb author: "Did you plot the loss before you lost the plot?" ------------ Scarcely used words need to be used scarcely! ------------ I tell the truth all the time; but, at times, not all the truth. ------------ Wisdom is not the absence of confusion; and confusion is not the absence of wisdom. ------------ Perhaps a person prays to improve; but mostly improves with praise, no? ------------ Do you know: it's when death comes at the end that it's the end of death as you know it? ------------ I just die to live, not live just to die! (Kudos to my daughter, Elena, for that thought) ------------ The certainty, about Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, in principle, causes me uncertainty about why Heisenberg had such certainty! ------------ First, if you always resolve to test yourself, that will always test your resolve, first. ------------ When do the trappings of society become merely society’s traps? ------------ The optimist asks: “Went the day well?” The pessimist replies: “Well – the day went!” ------------ The reality of life for some is that their life is divorced from reality. ------------ The way things are, many just live in fear while others just fear to live. ------------ For some gals, guys are just toy boys; but for some guys, gals are just boy toys. ------------ In marriage, when you win, you often lose; and when you lose, you often win! ------------ If you have ideas of winning, just make sure it’s winning ideas you have! ------------ So saith the consummate consumer: Spend today before today is spent! ------------ Some politicians think there are no alternatives to war left; eventually, they may be left in a war with no alternatives. ------------ We’re all alone when we die; but also, we die when we’re all alone. ------------ What do you get when math dunces meet? Those with the fear of all sums, of course! (With apology to Tom Clancy) ------------ Any wars of attrition are never about the attrition of any wars. ------------ Seems like some people’s interest in principles is often confined to just the principal plus the interest to get the sum. ------------ Unhappily, the power of politics for the good of all is often reduced to the politics of power for the good of the few. ------------ If it looks easy, it’s never as easy as it looks. ------------ The folly of war is surpassed only by those who engage in a war of folly. ------------ Good judges like to keep lawyers in line; lawyers like to keep a line on good judges! ------------ The word ‘discrimination’ is so much used, perhaps its meaning is somewhat prejudiced; ‘prejudice’, however, is so little used, perhaps it lacks discrimination? ------------ A lover’s indifference will make all the difference in love. ------------ Wars of liberation never liberate anybody from war! ------------ The sad truth about relationships is that the truth about them is often sad. ------------ Reflective moment from overweight food junkie: What now – fast food or food fast? ------------ Well, I can get ideas for a novel, but can’t get any novel ideas! ------------ In the criminal justice system, the system of justice is often just … criminal. ------------ The dreaded mother of all wars is the war dreaded by all mothers. ------------ Some people say we have a world without end; though, with the current state of things, soon we could have an end without a world. ------------ Thought from jaded lover: "Often I just want to talk, while he just talks about his wants." ------------ So ... when does fixed pricing become price fixing? ------------ Perhaps it's better to fail at something you love than to love something that fails? ------------ A good relationship is necessary for making money; but money is unnecessary for a good relationship. ------------ Food for the poor is usually poor food. ------------ Our tolerance for others should be as religious as the religions of others should be tolerant of us. ------------ Often, family knows you the least, and judges you the most; while friends know you the most, and judge you the least. ------------ If you mean to say something, try to make sure it’s not mean. ------------ In some governments, there’s poverty in the economics of some which results in the economics of poverty for the many. ------------ Reconciliation between enemies is only possible when there are no enemies of reconciliation. ------------ During his days of wine and roses, he often rose, with a whine, in a daze. (Recalling the alcoholic played by Jack Lemmon in the 1962 movie, Days of Wine and Roses.) ------------ Is it better to be a political dissident without, or a dissident politician within? ------------ So, why is it that some family members are more like friends, while some friends are more like family? ------------ Some young couples only have a mind for sex; and some old couples only have sex in the mind. ------------ I think life is a relative success when you have family as friends and friends as family. ------------ I went to find the lie of this big land, but all I found was this land of the big lie! ------------ If some friends can be brothers, why is that some brothers can’t be friends? ------------ Gung-ho grunt, arriving: “I wanna piece of the action, yeah!” Battle-weary grunt, leaving: “Yeah, well, I just want some action for peace.” ------------ You can always give without loving; but you can’t love without giving, always. ------------ Are board games just games for the bored? ------------ What I do know is this: I know what I do. ------------ All play and no work makes a dull boy jack! (Recalling Jack Nicholson's ... er ... novel writing in the 1980 horror movie, The Shining) ------------ Are all intelligence failures simply failures of intelligence or failures simply of … intelligence? ------------ Conventional wisdom would no doubt say there's not much wisdom at conventions. ----------- Death is a fear for some of us, while fear is a death for all of us! ------------ Time is of the essence; but what is the essence of time? ------------ Seems like in some countries, they're either fighting to vote or just voting to fight. ------------ We can't kill time – time kills us, already! ------------ As children, we’re often not afraid when we should be; while as adults, we’re often afraid when we shouldn't be. ------------ And another great moment in dog philosophy: First dog: "Hey, I hate this dog's life I lead. . . Second dog: "Duh! It's the owner who leads the life of a dog, already! ------------ Now it looks like all the world's a store, and we are all merely payers. (With apology to Will Shakespeare.) ------------

Get the free download of my complete chiastic thoughts in Volume 1, Volume 2 and Volume 3.

Words sounding the same....

Confused by words that sound the same? Almost everybody I've encountered is, sometimes.

They're called homonyms and homophones. And I've maintained a dictionary of them for fifteen years. Click here for more....

Heard about chiasmus?

It's a commonly used language tool. Most people have used it, including you. It's been used continuously for millennia by many of the greatest minds in history.

Join the fun here to see how it works....

Here's the novel app about challenging words used in literary fiction:

It's the app that takes the tedium out of the medium!

Want to go to Papua-New Guinea?

Well ... let me take you there with my non-fiction narrative (aka memoir) about the last years of Australia's colonial life in the 1960s. And where I was a Cadet Patrol Officer from 1961 to 1964.

Read more about it and choose a fully illustrated paperback here or choose the ebook here.

Everybody has an opinion!

Over many years, I've written on a large variety of topics, all of which are here for you to read.

You can browse through the titles here, including one describing in detail how I cured arthritis in my hands. And how, amazingly and inadvertently, the end of a rainbow found me and my wife. I kid you not!

Most people like to see movies....

And I like writing reviews. I've been doing that for years at IMDB.COM. You can read, at IMDB, a few from my entire portfolio here. Or, you can sample a larger selection right here.

Is Terminator coming soon?

The short answer is no. Should you be afraid? Not yet....

For more information, news and articles on that touchy topic, you can read through my roboticswatch blog here at Wordpress.

Novel ideas and stories....

I completed a contemporary thriller, under a pseudonym of Cyrus H. Milton, ten years ago titled Loose Cannon. You can find out more here and get a free copy (PDF) of the original edition.

Here's the short of it.

Short stories are fun to write for many reasons. You can browse all the titles for my shorts here and read them all if you wish.

Note: occasionally, there is foul and profane language and explicit sex in a couple of stories.